Standby Flier
by Cheesebirb
Summary: It's winter break and Craig decided to visit his family and some friends back in his hometown. Sadly with a cheap ticket comes a hell of a time. By the end of it all Craig wants to do is pass out on the airport floor, however a surprise visitor comes in at perfect timing (or not so perfect). [[Cryde, fluffy friendship oneshot]]


Winter break. One of the best things Craig learned about College was the fact that their breaks lasted practically a month. So naturally he decided to visit his hometown, maybe see if anyone from high school decided to come down as well and see his family.

The downside about Winter Break? The fucking airport delays. Now it wasn't snowstorms or anything that actually was a good reason for a delay. No it was god damn oversold flights. God knows how the hell a plane to Colorado was oversold. Who would even want to visit that shit stain? Then again he never bothered to go outside of South Park—save for the amusement parks and baseball games. Even those weren't too far away. Either way, Colorado sucked. Anything involving bigoted rednecks and small towns were a big fat "No" in Craig's opinion.

Point is, it was nine at night and Craig had been at the damn airport since six in the morning. Which was already pushing the limit. Now surely some must be asking 'Why not just buy a ticket for another airline? Why not buy a ticket at a later time?'. Well simply put. He was a standby flier. It was cheap and his broke college ass could afford it.

Now that he had been stuck here for a good 15 hours, he was beginning to realize why those tickets were so damn cheap.

"Attention passengers. We are looking for a volunteer as this is an oversold flight. You will be given a first class seat on the next available flight and $500 on your miles card. We will also provide you a hotel room in the airport." The overhead speaker called out, earning collective groans from the crowd. Craig was way past groaning at this point. Honestly he had been expecting that. God those lucky fuckers, how was no one standing up? They were getting a free first class seat and more.

Maybe he spoke too soon, as someone quickly brushed past him and was talking about the offer with the lady at the counter. At least someone had some sense. With an exasperated sigh, Craig looked back down at his phone. However something was bugging him, so he casted a second glance at the counter. Only to sputter out a "Dude? Clyde is that you?"

Must have been because the brunet jumped before squinting at Craig, though soon enough a large smile appeared on his face. Then before Craig had much of a chance to recognize that familiar glint in the others eye, Clyde was all but charging at the poor guy with a hug. Honestly if it wasn't for the chairs armrest Craig would have toppled backwards. Meanwhile the poor counter lady was laughing nervously and trying to figure out if she should ruin the obvious reunion.

"Oh my god, get off me Donovan we are in_ public._" Craig strained out, trying to push the clinging brunet off him. Though the faint hint of amusement in his voice hinted that he wasn't nearly that offended by the PDA.

Surely enough Clyde latched off and quickly tossed in a "Be right back." before going back to the counter and talking to the woman at the counter. Craig just watched, rather speechless at the odd turn of events. The woman and Clyde talked and exchanged a few things, then soon enough Clyde was running back over. Though not with the intentions of charging an attack hug. "Dude I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Five months."

"Yeah, that's what I said. Forever." Clyde said, taking a seat next to Craig. "So what are you doing here?"

As expected Craig just gave this look at Clyde, one that was practically judging his innocent question. He tossed a look towards his carry-on and standby ticket, before looking back up at Clyde. "I don't know." He said in that all too familiar monotonous and nasally voice that Clyde knew all too well. What usually earned a pouting expression, earned laughter.

"So you're going back to Colorado too?" Clyde asked. "Before you act like a smartass—there is a thing called transferring between planes." he quickly added when Craig opened his mouth.

"Yeah. I am. So are you transfering from a plane or what?"

"I go to school here." Clyde said, clearing his throat he quickly clarified "Like in the area. Not in the airport. I go to some college about 20 minutes away from here."

"Wait wait. Down the highway, the college that has the tech building near the Steak n' Shake—"

"And the abandoned trailer and 'Haunted forest' near the baseball field?" Clyde finished Craig's sentence.

The two just stared at each other in silence. Like they were trying to process the fact they were literally going to the same school but never ran into each other. Neither one of them said or did anything. Well at least for the first few moments. Clyde was the first to react. His reaction? Laughing hysterically and curling into himself. Craig shockingly followed suit, granted his laughter was much more quiet compared to Clyde—who was snorting and giggling. "Are you fucking serious? How the hell didn't we run into each other? What the hell are you majoring in?" Clyde asked between breathes.

Craig just offered a shrug, his laughter gone but the grin on his face still remained. "Graphic design. You?"

"Not sure yet to be honest." Clyde admitted with a sheepish smile.

The intercom went off again, grabbing both the boys attentions along with the remaining people in gate. "The flight is officially full. All standby passengers have been transferred to the next flight that leaves tomorrow morning at 7am.". With that announcement people began to leave the gate, grumbling amongst each other. Craig let out a small sigh, getting up and slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

"So I assume you're one of the unlucky standby people?" Clyde spoke, getting up as well. The brunet pursed his lips, mulling over an idea in his head. "If you want you can stay with me. I got a free hotel room." Clyde offered with a sheepish smile.

Craig raised an eyebrow, offering a shrug of his shoulders "I would have been offended if you didn't offer me a place to crash." which basically meant yes. So with that said and done, the two ditched this gate in favor of a hotel room.

* * *

><p>The hotel was sub par at best, and probably insanely over priced considering it was literally in the airport. Clyde had gotten some one person room and they both had to lie to smuggle Craig in. Which was easy enough, now here's to hoping no one remembers that and comes checking up on them.<p>

Placing his stuff down, Craig all but went to flop on the bed face first, letting out a groan into the sheets. Which just caused Clyde to laugh and all but jump on the bed, earning another groan from the exhausted noirette. "Come on party pooper. I invited you here and we are gonna have some fun." Clyde said, nudging Craig's head with his foot.

"I swear to god Donovan, if that's your foot—" Sure enough when Craig raised his head to check what was knocking his hat off, it was Clyde's foot. With a sigh Craig let his head flop back into the covers. "I hate you so much Clyde."

Unfortunately for Craig, his unwillingness to participate in Clyde's shenanigans didn't stop him from antagonizing Craig more. Instead of jumping on the bed, Clyde jumped off and stayed quiet as he tried to think of his options. Honestly the silence was making Craig insanely uncomfortable, because he knew that would just lead to his friend getting some_ brilliant _(read: terrible) idea.

Then it came like a smack to the face. Or more specifically a whack from a pillow. The suddenness of it managed to make Craig snap upright, just in time for Clyde to throw another hit and knock his friend right off the bed. "I hate you SOOOO much Clyde." Craig groaned from the floor, only his middle finger showing from the bed. Then it disappeared back behind the bed. Clyde meanwhile was just laughing his heart out.

Until jacket hit his face and covered it. Before Clyde knew it someone was snatching the pillow from his hands. He managed to pull the jacket off his face just in time to see Craig whack him in the face. The force from the hit managed to make Clyde stumble back. While he had stopped attacking Craig one he fell, Craig didn't show any signs of stopping as he stepped forward, twirling the flimsy pillow around in an intimidating manner (it was more amusing than anything though, considering it was a floral decorated pillow, and a bed headed Craig in a damn red racer shirt coming at him.).

Clyde wasn't going down that easily though. Sure there were no cushions or pillows to use as a weapon, but he had the best weapon there was. His body. Clyde easily outweigh his scrawny friend despite being an inch shorter than him. So if he had to charge and tackle, so be it. "You and me, we are gonna tear shit up." Clyde said with a grin, before letting out a battle cry and ramming himself into the other. Which even caused Craig to let out this odd startled yell, his little intimidation facade falling apart in a second.

Craig thanked whatever based god there was that he didn't land on the floor but instead a cushioned bed. The last time Clyde decided to ram into him full force, Craig was in the hospital with a concussion (worth it). Once recovering from the shock of the sudden attack, Craig was grabbing and trying to shove Clyde off of him. The only damn thing Craig had was arm muscle from being a pitcher on the baseball team, but over the last five months he probably lost a good amount of his strength. Nonetheless it didn't stop him from fighting back and calling Clyde every name in the book.

"You give up yet, Tucker?" Clyde asked, managing to keep his dominate position over the other. Mind you also making sure not to hover over his damn legs. Last time that happened Craig pulled a cheap shot and rammed his knee right into his dick.

"You fucking wish." Craig snapped. Stubborn as ever. Clyde just laughed, however his gloating was cut short when Craig all bucked up into him, earning a squeak and a falter in his position. Which was all Craig needed to attack and reverse their positions, granted he had to actually brace an arm over Clyde's neck. Seeing as his weight wouldn't keep him down. "Did you just _squeak_? Dude you are such a useless lesbian." Craig joked, laughing lightly.

"You. That was lower than the knee shot." Clyde huffed out, miffed that Craig kept pulling these damn tricks during these fights.

"I don't know I'm pretty sure that was higher." Craig said.

"You— Well— I..I hate you."

"Wow Clyde you are just soooooo articulate and witty." Craig deadpanned in a mocking way, earning a frustrated groan from the boy under him.

"So you give up? Cause I'm exhausted as hell and would love to just pass out right now."

"Yeah yeah I give up. You win with your shitty cheap shot." Clyde said, holding his hands up in defeat.

With that cleared up, Criag rolled off and laid beside the defeated brunet, instantly letting exhaustion take over and closing his eyes. However while Clyde might have agreed to end the fight, he was anything but tired (there was a reason he bought a night ticket). So he rolled onto his side to face Craig. "So hows college?"

"Oh my god." Craig groaned out, opening his eyes to glare at his friend. Who in return just offered his signature sheepish smile. God dammit. It was damn near impossible to get angry with Clyde sometimes. So Craig rolled over as well, accepting defeating. "We go to the same school." He replied.

Now it was Clydes turn to groan out. "Okay yes but I mean do you got any funny stories? Cause man I got a ton."

"No."

"God dammit Craig. Work with me here. I know you're a boring guy but you're not this boring." Clyde said, grabbing the other by the shoulders. With a sigh he brought his arms back to his figure. "Well if you won't storytell I will."

Oh no.

"Okay so I was hanging out with this guy on the baseball team—Oh did I tell you I joined the colleges baseball team? Anyways I was hanging out with him and these two other guys I don't really know too well and we went to the abandoned trailer—

Craig jerked awake, trying to figure out what happened. The first thing he was greeted with was Clyde snoring away next to him, which lead to Craig remembering that insanely long story about the trailer, and then him passing out midway through. Looking over at the digital clock, Craig let out a quiet sigh. It wasn't even that late, it was only 12. Which to him wasn't late.

Settling back in the bed, Craig decided to squirm his way on over and closer to Clyde, fitting his head underneath the others chin. Though he didn't have the guts to do anything more than that.

"Awww I didn't think big ol tough Craig was a cuddler." Clyde teased quietly, voice still drowsy.

"Donovan I swear to _god_." Craig hissed, earning a laugh from his still half asleep friend. Though he didn't bother to deny it.

"Does lil Craig want me to give him a goodnight kiss— OW! JESUS CHRIST!" Clyde's once teasing voice was quickly changed to a pained yell, hands gripping his stomach.

"Don't test me." Craig hissed out, rolling over on his other side and closing his eyes again.

Clyde just let out a sigh, not bothering to push the matter further (he was kinda asking to get smacked) and instead just closed his eyes as well. After all the two of them needed their rest for tomorrow was going to be a hectic day.

It was Christmas Eve.

If they thought today was stressful they had no _clue_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>I think this is the first one shot I've written successfully and willingly published online. Long backstory short, I was stuck on an airplane for 6 hours and I was sick as a duck and needed to get my mind off the pain. But my terrible experiences in the airport inspired this fic. Im not sure what else to say eheh. May or may not have based the beginning of this story on a shitty standby experience. Granted I actually got on lmafo.

It kinda ends abruptly but my brain just fizzed out. I'm sorry ahhhhh

Reviews are loved to death! Im so sorry if there's a billion mistakes ahaha. Also airports suck. At least these two had each other to pass the time and Clydes free hotel room.


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